Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush, right, and Donald Trump both speak during the CNN Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, Calif., on Sept. 16. The next GOP debate will be held in Boulder on Oct. 28. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Like past Republican presidential debates this election cycle, the GOP showdown being held in Boulder on Oct. 28 will feature two tiers of candidates, according to a news release on Wednesday from CNBC, the cable news network broadcasting the debate.

The network also introduced stricter criteria for candidates to appear on the stage at the Coors Event Center at the University of Colorado, which could mean a smaller pool of presidential hopefuls in Boulder.

One debate, held at 6 p.m. local time, will feature candidates with an average of at least 3 percent in national polls conducted by NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, CNN and Bloomberg from Sept. 17 to Oct. 21.

The other debate, which begins at 4 p.m. local time, will feature candidates who meet the minimum threshold of 1 percent in at least one national poll.

All candidates will debate job growth, taxes, technology, retirement and the health of the nation's economy, according to the news release.

"We focus on money — from financial markets and economies around the world to the most fundamental pocketbook issues involving savings and retirement," said Mark Hoffman, CNBC chairman, in a statement. "Financial freedom, entrepreneurship and job growth are core to Americans' decision-making process when they cast their vote."

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CNBC's Carl Quintanilla, co-anchor of "Squawk on the Street" and "Squawk Alley," Becky Quick, co-anchor of "Squawk Box," and John Harwood, the network's chief Washington correspondent, will serve as moderators for the debate titled "Your Money, Your Vote: The Republican Presidential Debate."

Campus spokesman Ryan Huff said Quintanilla is a CU-Boulder alumnus who graduated in 1993 with a political science degree.

Another CU graduate, Joe Kernen, will co-host special programming leading up to the debates. Kernen graduated in 1978 with a degree in molecular, cellular, developmental biology.

Roughly 1,000 people will get to attend the debate at the Coors Event Center, including 100 CU students and employees.

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